Chapter Ninety-Four: Henceforth, You Shall Be Called Little Crabapple.

Eh? Is something wrong with your ears? I've explained it so clearly, and you still have questions?" Shen Fuyu frowned. Was her voice not loud enough? Truly. "I said that from this day forward, you will be the second-rank palace maid of Moonstring Palace, attending to me and His Majesty in our daily lives. Wasn't that what you begged of me?"

Wasn't this just granting someone else's wish? How simple.

In any case, it was fortunate that Qin Zhiyi had followed her lead and pushed all the blame onto himself.

Otherwise, if Qin Zhiyi had opened his mouth with that cold, merciless line about how he did not like women who climbed into bed to seek favor and telling her to get lost, then how could that possibly stand?

That would never do. If Shen Tangyu were rejected for such a reason, the hatred she felt would not even be directed at herself anymore.

It had to be made to look as though Qin Zhiyi had refused her on Shen Fuyu's account. Only then could Shen Tangyu be certain to spend her nights stabbing little dolls and cursing her in secret.

Only then would the prospect of her anger points have any real promise.

"What is it, Elder Sister? Hurry and thank Your Majesty," Shen Fuyu said as she sat down beside Qin Zhiyi, smiling sweetly. "Your Majesty, do you think the idea I came up with was good?"

Though the matter had taken a roundabout path, it was resolved in the end. Looking at Shen Tangyu, Qin Zhiyi's eyes turned faintly disgusted. "Since you are now a palace maid, forcing your way into the imperial chambers is against palace law. But as this is your first offense, you will kneel outside the hall for two hours."

"Your Majesty... must you truly be so heartless?" Shen Tangyu shook her head, stunned and shaken to the core. The blow had left her mind in disarray. She reached out toward Qin Zhiyi, only to be coldly interrupted.

"Oh dear, Miss Shen, what do you think you are doing?" Chang Fu had already entered with two young eunuchs. "You are no longer some young lady of high standing. You are merely a palace maid in the imperial court now. Best to recognize your place sooner rather than later."

The eunuch's shrill voice stabbed even more painfully into Shen Tangyu's heart. She turned and glared fiercely at Chang Fu, but how could he possibly be intimidated by that? He merely waved a hand, and the two little eunuchs behind him stepped forward at once, covering her mouth and dragging her away before she could make a scene.

"I have never felt any affection for you. Where does this talk of heartlessness come from?" Qin Zhiyi narrowed his eyes slightly, growing all the more distant. "Do your duty as a palace maid properly and serve the Virtuous Consort well. Otherwise, I will bring the entire Shen family down with you."

Shen Tangyu felt as though she had fallen into an ice cellar. It was like a drunken man suddenly sobering up. She finally understood that if she angered the emperor, the Shen family would not be safe either. Even if this emperor held no real power, so what? The Shen family had made many enemies in court. There would always be those willing to seize the chance to accuse them and bring them to justice.

Held down and forced to kneel on the ground, Shen Tangyu was utterly stupefied. The two eunuchs spat once each, then chuckled and walked off while exchanging idle chatter.

Their piercing voices felt like needles constantly pricking Shen Tangyu's heart. She was on the verge of losing her mind.

No matter how she thought about it, she could not understand why the emperor had been drugged yet remained unharmed. Why had none of her past methods ever worked on him? Why had that wretched Shen Fuyu only thought of herself? Shen Tangyu clenched her jaw and balled her fists so tightly that she trembled with rage.

In the end, it was still Shen Fuyu's fault. If that wretch had helped her, if she had not been so selfish just now, then Shen Tangyu would already have become a consort.

It had to be that wretch who could not bear to see her do well. It had to be.

The little commotion in Moonstring Palace had not yet come to an end when someone from the Empress Dowager arrived and directly summoned Qin Zhiyi away.

After Qin Zhiyi left, Shen Fuyu leisurely followed to the entrance of the main hall.

"I'll be going first," Qin Zhiyi said before leaving Moonstring Palace with Chang Fu.

Unhurriedly, as Qin Zhiyi passed Shen Tangyu, Shen Fuyu ordered someone to bring a stool and sat down right in front of her.

"Oh my, Elder Sister, to kneel to such an extent. I simply cannot bear it," Shen Fuyu said, covering her mouth with a delicate laugh. The more she looked at Shen Tangyu's expression, as though she wanted nothing more than to bite her to death, the happier she became. What heavenly days these were. Anger points every day.

"Wretch, all of this was your scheme, wasn't it?" Shen Tangyu ground out through clenched teeth. She hated this. She hated it so much. Everything had gone far beyond what she had expected. And the reason for all of it was this vile Shen Fuyu.

"Yes," Shen Fuyu replied calmly. "Are you angry?"

The more shameless and fearless she appeared, the more she provoked Shen Tangyu.

"Shen Fuyu, may you die a horrible death!" Shen Tangyu cried out in fury and sprang up from the ground, reaching for Shen Fuyu.

"Hold her down!" Silver Bell stepped in front of Shen Fuyu with an outstretched hand.

Several eunuchs moved at once to seize Shen Tangyu and force her back to her knees. Her knees were pressed hard against the flagstones, and the searing pain made her face turn white. Even her beautiful features twisted with agony.

"Enough," Shen Fuyu said with a wave of her hand, utterly unconcerned. "Don't forget, His Majesty already said it. From this day on, you are no longer the Shen family's young lady, but the second-rank palace maid of Moonstring Palace. You know the palace rules better than I do, so endure it properly."

"My father will not let you off!" Shen Tangyu stared at Shen Fuyu with wide eyes. "Don't get too pleased with yourself. You stole my favor, my status, and everything here should have been mine. My father and grandmother love me, and the one who can help the Shen family is me! Do you really think Father would sacrifice the entire Shen family to defend a wretch like you?"

"Exactly, and you think I ought to help you too, hmm? Well, I absolutely won't!" Shen Fuyu smiled triumphantly, the look on her face sly and lively, utterly unmoved by Shen Tangyu's words. "Oh, still not giving up? I didn't just steal what was yours. I want you to watch with your own eyes as I take everything that once belonged to you and make it mine."

"His Majesty's favor, supreme status, the Shen family's support, all of it—I will take every last bit." Shen Fuyu's smile turned faintly vicious. "Elder Sister, perhaps you should inform the family and see which side Father chooses."

"Enough. All of you, disperse," Shen Fuyu clapped her hands and returned to her earlier lazy, languid manner. "Since she is now a palace maid, the maid previously assigned to serve her is no longer necessary. I remember someone threw herself into a well and died a while back, did they not? Clean out that dead woman's bedchamber and let her live there."

"Her name also needs to be changed. My own name contains the character for jade, so a palace servant cannot use it, lest it clash with me and offend a taboo. Henceforth, you shall be called Tang'er."

Shen Fuyu was thoroughly satisfied. She had only just reached level forty-two, and after today's little episode, she was nearly halfway to the next one. It was obvious just how furious Shen Tangyu was.

So satisfying. Truly, so satisfying.

"Green Tea, I leave the arrangements for the new arrival and her training to you." Before going back inside, Shen Fuyu cast Green Tea a meaningful look and suddenly smiled. "If it were me, I would never make use of a fair-weather friend. Only fools think that a fair-weather friend is sturdy and dependable. Wouldn't you agree, Green Tea?"